Many residents of and visitors to the Prescott area probably have no idea that Prescott and Yavapai County is home to hundreds of individuals who consider themselves to be “heritage keepers,” a person that in a unique way helps to preserve and promote our western heritage. Ranchers, western artists and musicians, preservationists, historians, authors, re-enactors, photographers, craft-persons and others who live in Yavapai County possess an incredible passion and spirit to preserve the legacy of the Western lifestyle.
The Prescott Western Heritage Foundation, founded by Dennis Gallagher in 2011, is working to develop a collaboration of local organizations, businesses, cities and towns in Yavapai County, to accomplish a common goal: to create a Western Heritage and Cultural Showcase to promote all participating non-profit organizations in the county that help preserve, promote and educate residents and visitors about our history and Western heritage. “The Foundation Board along with numerous community leaders and volunteers believe that there is a renewed interest in the history of Arizona,” said Gallagher. “And there seems to be a specific interest in the history of Prescott and Yavapai County, which is where it all began.”
It is the hope of the foundation that a collaboration between area historical societies and western organizations will eventually lead to the Prescott area becoming Arizona’s premier destination for residents and visitors to be immersed in our unique heritage and culture comprised of ranching, rodeo, railroads, mining, Victorian and Native American influences. The vision for a downtown Western Heritage and Cultural Showcase will create even greater opportunity to raise the awareness of our unique heritage. There is much work and significant fundraising that must be done for this vision to become reality.
One of the first fundraising projects to launch this summer will be sponsored by SpringHill Suites and Residence Inn in Prescott. Beginning on Friday, July 1 and running through Sunday, July 31, $1 for each guestroom sold at each location will be donated to the Prescott Western Heritage Foundation specifically for the Showcase. If each hotel achieves a 100 percent occupancy every night in July, this will raise more than $6,000.
“By locating the Western Heritage and Cultural Showcase downtown, it will capture a considerable amount of foot traffic around the Courthouse Plaza,” said Gallagher. “Many supporters in the community believe this location would significantly raise cultural and historical awareness and increase tourism.”
The mission statement for the Prescott Western Heritage Foundation is to preserve and promote our Western heritage through education, events, art, music and projects that enhance our Western lifestyle, making Prescott a unique place to live and visit. It is the hope of the foundation that the showcase will become a reality so that residents and visitors will have more opportunities to learn about our history and learn to respect it, embrace it, and help preserve it.
More information about the Prescott Western Heritage Foundation can be found at www.pwh-foundation.org. And remember, when making summer plans for friends and family visiting Prescott, we hope you will consider either SpringHill Suites or Residence Inn for hotel accommodations, knowing that you will be making a significant contribution to a worthy local fundraising campaign. Reservations can be made online by visiting www.marriott.com and selecting Prescott. QCBN
By Margo Christensen
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